Raheem Sterling has a new deal on the table but is refusing to commit his future to Manchester City. The 27-year-old is out of contract at the Etihad Stadium in 2023 and isn’t happy with Pep Guardiola for frequently rotating him in the squad, so the Sky Blues may have to cash in this summer rather than losing Sterling for free next year.
After starting 23 of 38 Premier League games and five of 12 Champions League outings this season, Shay Given believes Sterling ‘would not be happy’ with Guardiola for missing so many matches. He told talkSPORT: “He’s a top player, but for whatever reason in the last 12 or 18 months he’s just not started every game.
“Sterling strikes me as a player that would not be happy coming off the bench and being a bit-part for the last six or seven months.” The England international wanted out of City last summer after missing big Champions League outings and little has changed this campaign. Sterling started in 32 of 58 games across the board, amassing 3088 minutes from a possible 5220.
The 27-year-old scored a respectable 17 goals with nine assists, having a hand in a goal every 1.8 games and 119 minutes. Man City’s loss could be Chelsea’s gain, so Given says they might regret letting him go.
He added: “Will he come back and bite Pep, maybe? That’s the thing from a City point of view, do you think he will come back and score a goal towards the end of the season that wins the league for Chelsea. He’s a top player, but with 12 months left £50million is still a lot of money.”
Sterling scored 131 goals with 95 assists from 339 games at Man City (2015 – present), so he’s been a terrific servant.
Sterling’s appearances across his career for Liverpool and City are consistent. In a season he averages 33 appearances.
Signing for City may in the shortish term increase his appearances but I suspect at the expense of his performance.
You earn yourself a place in the team by your displays on the pitch!
Stirling can not really compete with the players around him and ought to move on.
In my opinion Sterling should have been sold last summer. When playing he has lost the spark and when he takes players on he’s loose the ball, takes the wrong choices. So it’s time for a change for him and with a change he might get his mono back for England
The writer has ignored the effectiveness of Sterling’s play. He is indeed quick but if he doesn’t get a tap in, he hardly scores. We can’t expect excellent crosses from the sides as a regular occurrence, we can’t expect a thunderous kick from the D or at the end of the 18. When he comes across robust defenders he’s pushed off the ball. I love him as a fellow Jamaican but would love to see him improve certain aspects of his game during the off-season. His kicking and crossing are good places to start.